Għarb ( mt, L-Għarb) is an

administrative unit Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

, located at the westernmost point of the island of

Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...

, with a population of 1,539 people (as of March 2014).

History

Għarb started as a small hamlet which developed around the middle ages. The word ''Għarb'' is the Arabic word for ''West'', so it should be no surprise that the village is the most westerly place on Gozo. One can see its ancient roots in the centre of the village where some houses have fine examples of decorated stone balconies. Għarb was created as a parish in 1679, a move which gave impetus for the building of a new, baroque parish church. Built between 1699 and 1729, it has an elegant façade which has been compared with

Francesco Borromini Francesco Borromini (, ), byname of Francesco Castelli (; 25 September 1599 – 2 August 1667), was an Italian architect born in the modern Swiss canton of Ticino

's Church of Saint Agnes in

Piazza Navona Piazza Navona () is a public open space in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in the 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans went there to watch the '' agones' ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. The village square, so quintessentially

Gozitan Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After ...

, has become the view on many a postcard. On the square is a folklore museum housing all sorts of memorabilia retelling the Islands'

rural history In historiography, rural history is a field of study focusing on the history of societies in rural areas. At its inception, the field was based on the economic history of agriculture. Since the 1980s it has become increasingly influenced by social ...

. Għarb lies in some of Gozo's most scenic countryside, particularly at Dbieġi, the highest hill on the Island. Also at Dbieġi is a centre for Gozitan crafts. Within the limits of Għarb is the Chapel of San Dimitri. According to legend, the first chapel was built on the cliff side by a woman whose son was freed from captivity by St. Demetrius. Also nearby is the Basilica ta' Pinu, Malta's pre-eminent shrine to the Virgin Mary. It was on this spot in 1883, that a local woman heard the voice of the Virgin. The

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

is dedicated to the visitation of

Saint Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

to her cousin Saint Elizabeth. The late Karmni Grima and

Frenċ tal-Għarb Francis Xavier Mercieca ( mt, Franġisku Saverju Mercieca, 3 December 1892 – 19 May 1967), more commonly known as Frenċ tal-Għarb, was a farmer and healer from the village of Għarb in Gozo, Malta. He was a service apostle of Our Lady of Ta' ...

are two of its most renowned villagers.

Zones in Għarb

*Birbuba *Ħodba *Il-Wileġ *San Katald *Ta' Lamuta *Ta' Pinu *Ta' Santu Pietru *Il-Fgura *Taż-Żejt *il-wilga *Wied tal-Knisja *Wied il-Mielaħ *Ta' Ħries *Fuq il-blata *Tat-trux *Il-misrah

Twin towns – sister cities

Għarb is twinned with: *

Castrolibero Castrolibero is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy. Twin towns * Siemiatycze, Poland * Għarb, Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is a ...

, Italy *

Massafra Massafra () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Taranto in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. History According to some hypotheses,Giuseppe Blandamura,'' Choerades Insulae'', Taranto, Tipografia Arcivescovile, 1925. Massafra was founde ...

, Italy *

Pace del Mela Pace del Mela ( Sicilian: ''Paci'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about east of Palermo and about west of Messina. Pace del Mela borders the following municipalities: Condrò, ...

, Italy *

Tortona Tortona (; pms, Torton-a , ; lat, Dhertona) is a ''comune'' of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines. History ...

, Italy *

Torrent Torrent or torrents may refer to: * A fast flowing stream Animals * Torrent duck, a species of the family Anatidae * Torrent fish * Torrent frog, various unrelated frogs * Torrent robin, a bird species * Torrent salamander, a family of s ...

, Spain * Cépet, France

References

External links

Għarb Local Council
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gharb Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta Gozo